Brighton and Hove

Brighton and Hove's population increased by about 25,600 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed quarter of a million

In the decade to 2011, the population of Brighton and Hove increased by 10.3%, from almost 248,000 to 273,000.

The addition of just under 26,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Brighton and Hove was home to, on average, 24 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the South East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Brighton and Hove

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Brighton and Hove decreased by one year, from 36 to 35 years.

This area had a lower average age than the South East and remained somewhat younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just over 11,000 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population over the age of 80 years decreased by just over 3,000.

About 15.0% of people in Brighton and Hove are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Brighton and Hove by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Brighton and Hove

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Brighton and Hove was among those who said they had no religion, rising 16.9 points.

In 2011, 46.5% of respondents in Brighton and Hove gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 29.7% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the South East, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 17.9% to 30.1%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Brighton and Hove, 47.0% said they were Christian, compared with 64.9% in 2001. About 0.1% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.1% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion decreased from 9.7% to 9.7%.

In Brighton and Hove, 8.8% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 8.9% in 2001. In South East, 7.4% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in Brighton and Hove increased by 15 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, South East and Brighton and Hove by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Brighton and Hove

The percentage of Brighton and Hove residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.6% to 2.8% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 6.2%, while the percentage of Brighton and Hove residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 91.2%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased faster here than in any other local authority district across the South East. The improvement brought health in Brighton and Hove close to the regional average 3.2% in the South East described their health as good in 2011).

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people living alone

Brighton and Hove saw the South East's largest fall in the proportion of one-person households.

In 2011, just over one in three (36.4%) households in Brighton and Hove had only one person, compared with 39.4% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising an unmarried couple increased from 11.6% to 12.7%.

Across the region, Guildford saw the next largest decrease in the proportion of one-person households (from 29.1% in 2001 to 26.7% in 2011).

The percentage of households with only one person was higher than across the South East

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Brighton and Hove

In 2011, 3.8% of Brighton and Hove residents said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), up from from 1.9% in 2001.

Across the South East, the percentage of people from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from 1.1% to 1.9%, while across England the percentage went from 1.3% to 2.3%.

Around 89.1% of people in Brighton and Hove said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 94.3% in 2001. About 4.1% said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, compared with 2.4% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.8% to 1.5%.

The population from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) in Brighton and Hove increased by 1.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Brighton and Hove by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Brighton and Hove residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care remained close to 1.7% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.9%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care decreased faster here than anywhere else in the South East. The improvement brought health in Brighton and Hove close to the regional average 2.0% in the South East described their health as good in 2011).

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Brighton and Hove remained close to 1.7%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South East and Brighton and Hove by care, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Brighton and Hove

Brighton and Hove saw the South East's third-largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

In 2011, just over one in two (50.1%) people aged 16 and over in Brighton and Hove said they were single, compared with 43.4% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 36.5% to 32.8%.

Across the region, only Portsmouth (from 36.4% to 43.5%) and Canterbury (from 31.6% to 38.6%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across the South East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Brighton and Hove residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 9.0% to 5.3% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (82.9%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 68.1% in 2001. While the percentage of Brighton and Hove residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22.9% to 11.8%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 7.2% in 2001 to 4.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Brighton and Hove decreased by 3.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Brighton and Hove, the South East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More students

Brighton and Hove saw the South East's third-largest rise in the proportion of students.

In 2011, just under 1 in 17 (5.8%) people aged 16 to 74 in Brighton and Hove said they were in education, compared with 4.0% in 2001. The percentage that were employed decreased from 49.7% to 49.1%.

Across the region, only Canterbury (from 4.2% to 7.1%) and Portsmouth (from 4.2% to 6.1%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of students.

During this period, Brighton and Hove overtook Reading to become the South East local authority area with the fifth-highest percentage of students.

The percentage of students in Brighton and Hove increased by 1.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Brighton and Hove, the South East and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Brighton and Hove that rented privately increased from 21.7% to 29.6% between the last two censuses.

The percentage that lived in social housing remained close to 14.6%, while the percentage of Brighton and Hove households that owned their home decreased from 61.3% to 53.3%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased faster here than the figure for the whole of the South East (from 10.2% in 2001 to 16.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Private renting in Brighton and Hove increased by 7.9 percentage points

Percentage of households in Brighton and Hove, the South East and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households without children fell in Brighton and Hove, while rising in Norwich (one of the most statistically similar areas to Brighton and Hove based on ONS area classifications).

In Brighton and Hove, the proportion came down from 71.3% in 2001 to 69.1% in 2011, while across England it went up from 68.9% to 70.1%. During the same period, the regional proportion remained close to 61.7%.

The proportion of households with children in Brighton and Hove increased from 22.6% to 24.5%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents increased from 6.1% to 6.3%.

The proportion of households without children was higher than across the South East

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in the South East and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Brighton and Hove working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 10.8% to 8.6% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 25 (3.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.7% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South East (from 14.3% in 2001 to 11.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Brighton and Hove decreased by 2.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Brighton and Hove, the South East and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

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